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Thousands of protesters tried to storm Government headquarters in Belarus last
night as anger erupted over claims of massive vote-rigging in the
presidential election.

After Aleksandr Lukashenko claimed victory and a fourth successive term riot
police attacked demonstrators with truncheons to disperse the biggest
protests seen in his 16-year rule.

Opposition supporters defied threats of a crackdown and poured into the centre
of the capital, Minsk, as soon as polling closed. Police initially looked on
helplessly as up to 40,000 marched down Independence Avenue waving
opposition flags, chanting “freedom” and calling on Mr Lukashenko to leave.

The protest dissolved into

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Opposition presidential candidate Vladimir Neklyayev was beaten up

December 20 2010 Julia Darashkevich/Reuters

Opposition presidential candidate Vladimir Neklyayev was beaten up

December 20 2010 Julia Darashkevich/Reuters

He had been taking part in protests against electoral fraud

December 20 2010 Julia Darashkevich/Reuters

Mr Neklyayev is carried away by supporters

December 20 2010 STR/REUTERS

Opposition supporters denounced the results as fixed

December 20 2010 Gleb Garanich/Reuters

Riot police clubbed the demonstrators to stop them getting into government buildings